Daycare Names - Ten Ideas on How to Name a Daycare Business

One of the first steps that you must take before you start a daycare business is to come up with an appropriate name. When parents start shopping around for daycare providers, the first thing that will appeal to them about a child care center before they actually visit it will most likely be the name. It is so important that you make the right first impression and having a unique daycare name will allow you to do so.

A great daycare name, in hand with a well designed logo will make up the foundation for how your company will represent itself visually in the market place. Your name will help you to create a brand image in the communities that you serve. A lot can be gained by developing a brand that people know and trust.

Below we have set out ten ideas that you should consider as you go about the process of putting together a short list of daycare names for your new business.

Make it Obvious

It is a good idea to communicate through your name the kind of business that you are in, so including the words 'daycare' or 'child care' can help to clarify this to people.

However, if you business is taking on more than a care giving role then you may want to use other words to let people know that you offer more than just daycare. If you have an educational program as well then you can consider using education related words like academy, prep school, enrichment, development or learning center.

Appealing to the Daycare Market

Think of names that are catchy, warm, inviting and maybe even cute or humorous. The children that attend your daycare will be spending a lot of time there so why not choose something that appeals to them. You could even go as far as to involve children that you know in the process of naming your daycare. Make it a competition and ask for their ideas and you may be surprised at what they come up with.

Marketing Considerations

Business naming experts have traditionally recommended going with a business name that starts with an 'A' or another letter close to the beginning of the alphabet. This offers you better positioning in The Yellow Pages and other business directories that list businesses alphabetically. However, with more people searching online these days this is gradually becoming less important so don't let it influence your decision too much.

A Name For the Future

Don't limit the future potential of your daycare too much by including too many specific details in a name such as the area that you operate within or the precise services that you provide. This can make it hard for you to change the direction of your business in the future if you ever wish to do so.

Think twice before using your personal name as a part of your daycare name. While this can give the name a nice personal touch it may make it difficult if you try to sell your business at some point in the future. Your personal name will not be relevant for the new owner.

Be Unique

Originality is important as you have to have a name that distinguishes you from your competitors and other local businesses to avoid customer confusion. A unique daycare name will allow you to stand out from the crowd and should allow you to generate more enquiries.

Legal Issues

Make sure that your selection is not trademarked for use by any other company before you decide to go ahead with it. Doing a name search is critical here so that you don't end up facing legal action further down the line. Do your own search first by looking in your local Yellow Pages and online. Once you think you have a daycare name that is unique you can then double check by doing a formal name search at your county or city clerks office.

You may have trouble coming up with an original name as many of the obvious choices have already been taken by daycare businesses already. One thing that you can do is write down a list of daycare names that are already in use and then pull out certain words that you like. Then you can incorporate one or two of these words into your own unique daycare name. You can also look to other 'child' related businesses for inspiration.

Domain Names

As a website will most probably come to be a key part of your marketing strategy you should make sure that a suitable domain name is available for registration.

Functionality

Good names should be memorable and easy to pronounce. Come up with a short list of your favorites and then run them by friends and family. Get their opinions and then check back with them in a few days to see which ones they remembered and if they were able to pronounce them correctly. Have some friends call you so that you can practice using the name to answer the phone and see what it sounds like.

Think about how the length of a name can make it easier to remember. Shorter names are quick and easy to say and they won't take up so much space on your branded materials and advertisements.

Expert Advice

It is important that you seek out a variety of opinions before going with a daycare name. While your startup budget will be unlikely to cover the expense of hiring a branding expert it may stretch to allow you to consult a local marketing expert. At the very least you should run some names by some of your prospective customers as well as other local business owners to get some opinions.

A Name To Be Proud Of

Most importantly, the name that you select for your daycare business has to be one that you like. It has to be something that will make you feel proud to be associated with. It should instill confidence inside you and it should inspire you to work hard every day to achieve your goals.

Once you have gone ahead with a name and started a daycare it can be nearly impossible to change. Not only would you have to change your stationary and other branded business materials but you would also lose some of the reputation that had been built up in the name over time. Make it easy on yourself and your business by coming up with a great daycare business name right from the start.

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